When it comes to carrying the weight of a legacy on their shoulders, it’s safe to say no one in the bodybuilding world gets it quite like Sergio Oliva, Jr.
Any bodybuilding fan worth their salt knows of his legendary father, Sergio “The Myth” Oliva. The three-time Mr. Olympia (1967-1969) was the only man who managed to best Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Olympia. Being the son of one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time can definitely come with its pressures, but Oliva Jr. is up for the task.
In a recent Home Gym Takeover on the Olympia’s Instagram (@mrolympiallc), Oliva Jr. (@sergioolivajr) answered fan questions and shared some snippets of a home gym workout (at least, his home gym while stuck in Australia thanks to COVID-19). One thing he revealed to fans is that he’s never short on motivation.
“There’s never a time I’m not motivated, I put my whole entire life into this,” he said in an Instagram story. “I feel if you’re an open pro bodybuilder and you find yourself not motivated, you’re in the wrong business.”
One fan likened Oliva Jr. to a “bodybuilding Creed,” referring to the Rocky spinoffs in which Apollo Creed’s son is trained by Rocky Balboa. It’s a comparison that he agrees with, especially since these days he trains with old-school athletes like Chris Cormier and Tom Platz. The latter, whose claim to fame is his incredible leg development, competed against Oliva Sr. in the ’80s.
During his social media takeover, Oliva Jr. shared some of his fitness regimen in Australia, including some kayaking for cardio and a home gym workout with Australian IFBB Pro Aaron Polites.
Here are a few of the moves he shared from a chest-focused routine:
